When an agency proposes to adopt, amend or repeal a rule, it shall give interested persons reasonable opportunity to submit data or views. Comments can be emailed to ODE.RuleTestimony@state.or.us.

Due to budget reductions the Department of Education is no longer conducting a separate hearing on each rule. However, interested parties may provide written comments to the Department or provide oral comments directly to the State Board of Education during the board’s public comment period at the first meeting at which the rule is on the board’s agenda. Additionally, opportunity for oral hearing shall be granted upon request received from 10 persons or from an association having not less than 10 members before the earliest date that the rule could become effective after the giving of notice.

Cindy Hunt, Government and Legal Affairs Manager, serves as the department’s hearing officer. The hearing will be recorded for permanent record. The hearing officer will open the hearing and read the OAR number and its intention or purpose. The hearing officer will ask those in attendance for oral testimony. Those individuals will be heard. If there is written testimony at this time, it will be submitted.

The hearing officer will adjourn the public hearing and will not respond to questions. After the close of the public comment period, the hearing officer will prepare a report to the state board which will be available from the department.